Apparatus for washing the interior of tanks



April 27, 1937. w. D. FL'ETCHER 2,078,566

APPARATUS FOR WASHING THE INTERIOR 0F TANKS Filed Sept. 12, 1933 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY April 27, 1937.

W. D. FLETCHER APPARATUS FOR WASHING THE INTERIOR OF TANKS Filed Sept.12, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E v j 59 34 v v fltglVEETOR I ATTORNEY wirebrushes and the like.

Patented Apr. 27, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR WASHINGTHE INTERIOR OF TANKS William D. Fletcher, Staten lsland, N. Y., as-

signor, by mesne assignments, to Butterworth System Incorporated, acorporation of Delaware Application September 12, 1933, Serial No.689,157

8 Claims. (Cl. 299-67) skin ,of the ship is utilized as the externalwall, of the tank. On account of this, the beams,-

girders and other complicated fabricated members comprising theframework of the ship extend through the tank spaces and are coveredwith oil when the tank is filled. The presence of these members makesthe cleaning of ships tanks more diflicult than that of land tanks, forland tanks are usually without obstruction other than a comparativelyfew and simple vertical columns. Cleaning tanks must be a thoroughoperation, for frequently a cargo of dirty oil, such as fuel oil, mustbe followed by one having high color requirements, as gasoline. Inaddition, when the tank or ship is to be repaired, it must be thoroughlycleaned to free it from anything apt to give rise to inflammable gases.

The oldest method of cleaning these tanks was that of entering them witha hose, handling high pressure water, and hosing down all of the oilthat could be removed, then manually wiping and scraping the tank wallsand steelwork with Hot water cleans more rapidly, and cleaning solutionsmight be used, except for the necessary limits introduced by ability ofmen to remain in the tank when they are used. To permit the use of hotwater and the higher pump pressures available, a modification of an olddevice of the fire fighters, consisting of a set of nozzles, propelledby reaction forces of the water jetted, mounted on the end of a pipe forinsertion into the hold has been adopted. These have enabled full use ofthe pressures and temperatures which have always been available, but dueto installation upon the end of an inflexible pipe, have not been highlyadapted to the problem. It has recently been proposed to make use of aself-propelled sprayhead, suspended by a torsion resisting hose, capableof the utmost flexibility of positioning, and it is with improvements inthis type of equipment that this invention is specifically concemed.

In the present prior art type of spray-head,

so that the cleaning jets will be successively directed toward allpoints of the tank interior. Now in cleaning a tank by washing it, thetime of the operation is largely determined by the rate at which waterat effective pressure is delivered against the surface to be cleaned.Heata is more economical for all of the water to be formed into cleaningjets of high pressure, ro-

tative energy being taken from the water before jetting, because theslightly higher pump pressure so required can be gotten more cheaplythan the heat thrown away in the water now sent through reaction jets.

It has therefore been an object of this invention to devise an apparatusfor tank washing capable of delivering jets of great force, deriving itsenergy for rotation from the water so jetted, and delivering all of thewater to such jets. A further object has been the development of amechanism of this type, capable of adjustment for variable speed.Further objects have been the development of methods for the best use ofsuch apparatus and such further objects and advantages as mayhereinafter appear.

In order that my apparatus may be more carefully described, I now makereference to the drawings attached to and a part of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a section through my device, taken on thecenter line, and Figure 2 is another section, taken similarly along thecenterline, but at a angle to Figure 1.

In Figure 1, the device, which is composed basically of two symmetricalhollow castings each forming a half case and split along the plane ofthe section of Figure l, is shown with the nearer half of the caseremoved. The body of the device is formed of two symmetrical shells I,adapted to be joined along the plane of centerline and provided withholes 2 wherein bolts may be placed for such joining. Centrally disposedwithin the casing, attached thereto, and similarly split, is a fluidtube 3, terminating in a plurality of nozzles 4-4, two of which areshown, and which may be of any convenient number and disposed in anymanner about the lower end of split tube 3. The case ll is rotatablysuspended from a tube 5, by cooperation with shoulder 6 on tube 5.Bearing material 1 serves also to pack the joint between 5 and I. Tube 5extends upwardly without the casing l-l and terminates in there is acylindrical socket, iii, carrying a bushing H, and on the samecenterline there is an opening in the outer wall of the case l-l,carrying a bushing l2. Carried in these bushings is a rotatable nozzleassembly composed of two nozzles 63 and it, of a iorm'adapted formaximum conversion of pressure into velocity, mounted upon hub id, whichsets within bushing it, and having for rigidity an outboard bearingwithin bushing ii in socket it by member 55, vwhich is attached to hubit by a plurality of fins l5. Fluid for the nozzles l3 and it may passfrom the interior of the casing l-l between fins i6 and through hub id.Attached to'nozzles l3 and I3 is a gear wheel ll, adapted to mesh withgear wheel b. At one or more pointsin the fluid tube 3 there areapertures l, v

for a purpose later described.

Disposed adjacent the ends of nozzles 3 are vanes 99, supported by disc2d, the nozzles and vanes cooperating to form a fluid motor wherebypressure cleaning fluid, entering through tube d and tube 3, in escapingto the region of lower pressure inside casing l-l is caused to develop arotative motion. Disc 2b is attached to shaft 25 in a nonrotative mannerand secured by nut 22. Shaft 25 passes without casing l-l through sleeve23 containing bushing 26 and enters box 25. In box 25 by means of a wormand gear train, which may be of any nature suitable for the proper speedreduction, and design of which is not particularly pertinent to thepresent design except in size, the rotative motion of shaft 2| iscommunicated to gear wheel 26, lying without box 25 and contacting withgear wheel 11 on nozzles i3-l3'. Cooperation of gears 26, I1, and 9cause the nozzles l3 and I3 to have two motions, the first a rotationabout their own horizontal centerline, and the second a rotation aboutthe vertical centerline of the whole device, these combining to causethe jets to be successively directed to all points of the interior ofthe tank in which-the spray is placed.

Turning now to Figure 2, which is a part sectional view on a plane atright angles to the plane of Figure 1, I attach reduction gear box 25 tothe case i--l, by means of lug 21 and studs 28. In order that I may varythe speed of rotation of vanes l9 about nozzles 4 I make use of one ormore apertures I8 in the side walls of tube 3. Each of these aperturesI8, only one oil which is shown, lead to the interior of a cylinder 293ll, and within the cylinder 29 is another cylinder, with a likeopening, the whole forming" a valve by which fluid may be passed fromtube 3 to the inside of casing l without passing through nozzles 4.Cylinderv 3| is closed at its outer end and terminates in plug 32 havinga wrench socket, the whole being retained in place by gland member 33and packing 34.

The entire device is constructed of such dimensions that it might belowered through an ullagepable ofbeing packed with oil for the lubrlcation of the contained gears.

With the design shown, there are no major wearing parts so situated thatthey may be corroded by cleaning fluid or rusted seriously when laid by.The gears 26, Hand 9 may be quite rugged, and maintained simply bydipping in oil before laying away.

All of the portions having high grademachine work are contained withinbox 25 and thoroughly protected from contact with cleaning fluid. Theonly portion of the mechanism subject to serious trouble is whollycontained within that same gear box 25, and should trouble develop, itcan be easily removed and another substituted. Ready access to theinterior for cleaning and unusual maintenance can be had because of thesplit case feature. Variable speed can be had by adjustment of theamount of fluid passing through vanes it. The nozzles can be preventedfrom cyclic duplication of path, except at greatly extended intervals oftime by use of an odd or hunting tooth in gear e.

The variable speed feature introducedthrough the use of valved outletsit is a valuable asset.

In washings. tank which has held clean, light oil of high color,theimpact force needed for the jets is not high, and relatively weakerstreams of fluid can be used, with complete cleaning from comparativelyfew impacts. In

"this case, the by-pass valves are closed, the device operates at highspeed, and through a proportionately greater fraction of the pumppressure is used for rotation, the streams have greater impact force.

This principle of variable force and velocity is not only applicable tothis device, but may be widely applied to most of the prior art devices,both to those of the present general class and to those of the classwhich are suspended by means of a rigid member.

The pumping equipment used for cleaning purposes in tank ships has longbeen capable of greater pressures than those necessary for formingefllcient cleaning jets. In the operation of the above described washer,the pressure at the entrance of the nozzle may still be as high as thatused at present, and the necessary pressure difierential for impartingrotative motion,

drawn from the existing reserve. Heat energy from the boilers to createthis difierential of pressure, which need not be great, is moreeconomical than heat energy used to heat' water which is later notformed into jets as in reaction jet driven equipment.

It is of course possible to design other mechanand all of these Iconsider to be equivalent to and within the scope of my invention,limiting following claims.

I claim:

1. A device for washing the interior of ship tanks and the like of theclass adapted to be suspended by a laterally'flexible torsion resistingical embodiments of the principles I make use of, I

fluid supply member, self propulsive, and having jets rotatingsimultaneously in two planes which intersect at an angle, whichcomprises a body adapted to rotate with respect to said supply member,within such body a fluid motor actuated by supplied fluid, meansdirecting said fluid to said motor, by-pass means whereby a portion ofthe fluid may enter the body without passing said fluid motor, aplurality of jet forming nozzles communicating with the interior of suchbody, adapted to take fluid after passage through said fluid motor andconvert its pressure into velocity, said nozzles being rotatably mountedon said body, means whereby the rotative motion of the fluid motor iscommunicated to the said nozzles, in such a manner as to cause them torotate with respect to said body, and means whereby said motion iscommunicated to said body, in such a manner as to cause it to rotatewith respect to said supply means.

2. A device for washing the interior of ship tanks and the like of theclass adapted to be suspended by a laterally flexible torsion resistingfluid supply member, self propulsive, and having jets rotatingsimultaneously in two planes, which comprises a fluid carrying tubenon-rotatably aiiixed to said supply member, a first gear wheelnon-rotatably affixed to said tube, a hollow casing rotatably mounted onsaid tube, a fluid passage within such casing communicating with saidfirst mentioned tube and terminating in nozzles within such casing, adisc rotatably mounted within such casing, and vanes upon said disccooperating with said nozzles to form a fluid motor actuated by fluidpassing from within the passage to within the casing, a plurality of jetforming nozzles adapted to transform pressure of the fluid intovelocity, so mounted in the wall of said casing that they may rotatewith respect thereto in a plane parallel to the fluid carrying tube andcommunicating with the interior thereof so that fluid from the interiorof the casing may pass through such nozzles, a shaft driven by the fluidmotor, a speed reducing gear train driven thereby, a second gear aflixedto such jet forming nozzles and cooperating with said gear train and thefirst mentioned gear, whereby motion of the fluid motor may causerotation of the jet forming nozzles in a plane parallel to the casingcenter line and also may cause rotation of the casing with respect tothe supply member.

3. A device for washing the interior of shiptanks and the like of theclass adapted to be suspended by a laterally flexible torsion resistingfluid supply member, self propulsive, and having jets rotatingsimultaneously in two planes, which comprises a fluid carrying tubenon-rotatably afiixed to said supply member, a first gear wheelnon-rotatably afllxed to said tube, a hollow casing rotatably mounted onsaid tube, a fluid tube within such casing communicating with said firstmentioned tube and terminating in nozzles with- Y in such casing, a discrotatably mounted within the casing may pass through such nozzles, ashaft driven by the fluid motor, a speed reducing gear train driventhereby, a second gear ailixed to such jet forming nozzles andcooperating with said gear train and the flrst mentioned gear, wherebymotion of the fluid motor may cause rotation of the jet forming nozzleswith respect to the casing and rotation of the casing with respect tothe supply member.

4. In a device for washing the interior of ship tanks and the like, aspray head comprising a fixed body, a hollow movable'body and fluid jetforming means rotatively mounted on said movable body communicating withand adapted to receive fluid from the interior thereof, means forrotatively securing the movable body to the flxed body coaxiallytherewith for rotation about their center line, a central passage forfluid through said fixed body, a fluid tube within said movable bodycommunicating with said passage and with the interior of said movablebody including means for diverting a portion of the fluid in the fluidtubeto said jet forming means without substantial diminution ofvelocity, means for directing the remaining portion of the fluid in thefluid tube to a means rotatively mounted within said movable body forconverting the pressure energy of that portion of the fluid in rotativemotion of said rotatively mounted means, means exteriorly secured tosaid movable body operatively connected to said energy conversion meansand translating the rotative motion thereof to effect rotation of thejet forming means with respect to the movable body, and meanscooperating with the motion translating means to rotate the 1 movablebody relative to the fixed body.

5. A tank cleaning device, comprising a main feed pipe adapted to bevertically supported within a tank, a hollow casing rotatably mounted onsaid pipe, a chamber within said casing and, formed in the casing, asecondary feed pipe extending into the chamber, a drive shaft extendingthrough one wall of the casing having a vaned disc on its inner end andconnected at its outer end to a gear train carried by the casing, aplurality of nozzles on the secondary feed pipe to discharge against thevanes on said disc, a nozzle member, rotatably mounted exteriorly of thecasing, communicating with the chamber therein, means, including saiddisc and gear train for effecting rotation of the nozzle member and ofthe casing and means in the casing and secondary feed pipe forregulating the speed of said rotation.

6. A device according to claim 5 in which the means for effectingrotation of the nozzle member and of the casing consists of a geardisposed inwardly of said member meshing with the final gear of saidtrain and with a gear member formed by a flange on the main feed pipe.

7. A device according to claim 5 in which the means for regulating thespeed of rotation of the nozzle member and of the caslngponsists ofpassageways formed in the casing and communicating with the secondaryfeed pipe and with the chamber by means of adjustable ports in the sidewalls thereof.

8. A device according to claim 5 in which the nozzle member is providedwith a supporting member extending into the chamber, the end of saidmember being received by a bearing socket on the secondary feed pipe androtatable therein.

WILLIAM D. FLETCHER.

